Chapter 2

Sandra parked her car at the Belleville rink, the same one where Brad played many of his midget games. She opened the trunk, and Jessica took out her large equipment bag and stick. Sandra picked up two blankets, handing them to Brad. “It gets cold inside.”

Jessica waved goodbye to them and walked towards the dressing room as Brad and Sandra went to the concession stand. “I could use a hot coffee; would you like anything hot?”

Brad gave a light laugh, thinking, “Yeah I’d like to have your hot-looking body in bed!” “A hot chocolate would be fine, thank you.”

Brad let Sandra lead the way to find a place to sit and watch the game. The rink was small, with seating for about 500 on the side opposite the team benches.

“Here should be okay,” Susan said of the seating area away from the growing crowd. She placed her coffee down and, taking the blankets from Brad, spread them on the cold wooden plank. She sat, and Brad sat beside her. “There now, we’ll be comfy and cozy,” she smiled, covering them with the blanket and patting his right leg.

Susan unbuttoned her winter coat, spreading the material to each side. When Brad wasn’t looking, she unfastened two buttons on her top. She purposely didn’t wear a bra, and leaning a certain way would give him a view of her bare right nipple.

“Cheers,” she offered, holding her coffee cup to meet Brad’s cup.

“Cheers,” he replied, and his eyes were drawn to the deep opening of her top. She adjusted her pose more towards him, the material falling away, and his eyes took in her revealed nipple.

She smiled, knowing his eyes told her what he was looking at.

The players made their way onto the ice for a short warm-up. Brad spotted Jessica with McBride and the number 27 on the back of her sweater. They couldn’t see her grinning from ear to ear from underneath the wire cage that protected her face.

“Ladies and gentlemen, would you please stand for the playing of the National Anthem,” the announcer asked.

Everyone stood with the men, removing their hats. The anthem began, and Brad sang along, knowing Abby would want him to. When it ended, Brad snuck a glance down her top and admired her slim legs showing beneath the short hem of her skirt.

“Everyone, please welcome back Jessica McBride to the Trenton Stingers. This is Jessica’s first hockey game since suffering severe injuries in a horrible car accident last year,” the announcer said.

The whole crowd gave Jessica a standing ovation, and the players on both teams banged their sticks on the ice or against the boards. Sandra put her forefingers to the corner of her eyes to stem the flow of proud tears.